Fallen Leaf Part 1: Velvet Lightning
by WillowThatShadowsRiver
Summary: .:Rewrite:. Long ago there was a prophecy, meant for the cats of that time. Many seasons later, the prophecy is unveiled, and StarClan need to get the prophecy to the right cat's paws. But first, they must bring two unlikely cats together.
1. Allegiances

**Leader: **Silverstar - Silver gray tom with amber eyes

**Deputy: **Silentwhisker - Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with long whiskers and green eyes

**Medicine Cat: **Moonshine - Mottled snow-white she-cat with patches of gray and blue eyes  
><em>Apprentice Everpaw <em>

**Warriors:  
><strong>Longclaw - Dark brown tabby tom with thick claws and green eyes  
><em>Apprentice: Dawnpaw<em>  
>Thistleheart - Longhaired, dark gray tom with blue eyes<br>_Apprentice: Cherrypaw_  
>Oakclaw - Pale brown tom with dark stripes<br>Leafpelt - Golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
>Firetail - Pale tabby she-cat with green eyes and a dark red-brown tail<br>Auburnwhisker - Dark ginger she-cat with long whiskers and green eyes  
><em>Apprentice: Hawkpaw<em>  
>Robinfrost - Pale cream she-cat with yellow eyes and a dash of brown on her chest<br>_Apprentice: Smallpaw_  
>Stormclaw - Gray tom with dark stripes and yellow eyes<br>Ashenpelt - Dark gray tom with pale silver dapples and blue eyes_  
><em>Glacetail - White she-cat with sliver flecks and amber eyes  
><em>Apprentice: Thornypaw<br>_Breezefur - Dark gray tom with amber eyes  
>Doveheart - Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes<br>Rockfall - Dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes  
>Velvetpelt - Dark ginger tom with brown patches and green eyes<br>_Apprentice: Lightningpaw  
><em>  
><strong>Apprentices:<strong>  
>Dawnpaw - White she-cat with blue eyes and black ears and tail-tip<br>Cherrypaw - Sandy ginger she-cat with blue eyes  
>Everpaw - Black tom with blue eyes, white paws and muzzle<br>Smallpaw - Black tom with yellow eyes, white paws, muzzle, chest and underbelly  
>Hawkpaw - Black tom with green eyes, white paws and muzzle<br>Thornypaw - Dark brown tom with amber eyes  
>Lightningpaw - Golden she-cat with amber eyes<p>

**Queens:**  
>Tawnyfeather (Expecting Longclaw's kits)<br>Silentwhisker (Mother of Silverstar's kits; Warrenkit - Brown and gray mottled tom with green eyes and white paws + Angelkit - Calico she-cat with dappled tail and amber eyes + Shiverkit - Dark gray tom with amber eyes)  
>Cloverheart (Father unknown; Speckledkit - Pale gray tom with darker flecks and green eyes + Patchkit - Pale gray she-cat with amber eyes and a dark ginger patch across her chest and most of her right side)<br>Softwing (Mother of Breezefur's kits; Sharpkit - Brown tom with yellow eyes, dark spots and a dark stripe down his spine + Darkkit – Dark gray tom with yellow eyes) 

**Elders:  
><strong>Woodclaw – Ginger she-cat with amber eyes  
>Feathereye – Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes<br>Brokenscar – Black tom with blue eyes  
>Stonewhisker – Silver gray tom with amber eyes<p> 


	2. Prologue

**A/N The prologue for the first part of my new two part story... R&R to help with my epic mind blank.**

"Silverstar!" Moonshine mewed from outside the leader's den. She rushed in, and dropped something on the floor at her paws.

"What's this?" Silentwhisker spoke up from the corner.

"StarClan have spoken. This was waiting for me as I left me den."

"What does it mean?" Both the leader and deputy were crowded round the medicine cat, waiting for an answer. They all looked down at the object, a small piece of material, in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"I think it means Lightningkit is ready to be apprenticed."

Silverstar looked startled. "Why would StarClan send a sign for something like that?"

"There's more. Feel it." Moonshine nudged the object towards her leader, who dragged his paw across the surface. "It's velvet"

"Meaning..."

"I think StarClan wants Velvetpelt to mentor her."

"What if we're wrong?" Silentwhisker spoke again

"Then StarClan will say so. For now, we have to try it."

"I will speak to Lightningkit and Velvetpelt tomorrow."

With a nod of her head, Moonshine departed, leaving the clan leader to wonder about the sign, and what it could possibly mean.


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N I updated! So proud. Please enjoy the first chapter of the long abandoned story, Velvet Lightning (du-duh-du-daa!)**

_**Velvet Lightning**_

Chapter 1 ~ Hello my name is Lightning

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the low-branch for a clan meeting!"

Velvetpelt emerged from the Warrior's den and stretched in the morning sunlight. He looked up at where Silverstar was perched, on the lowest branch of the Ice-tree. Sitting on one of the roots were Lightningkit and Thornykit, both looking excited and anxious. Velvetpelt sat down next to Rockfall. His brother looked over at him.

"It wasn't so long ago we were sitting there" Rockfall said, flicking his tail at the soon-to-be apprentices. Velvetpelt purred.

"I'm glad. If I never clean out the nursery again, it'll be too soon!"

"Well, someone needs to do it. With all the kits in there, it's getting hard to keep the moss fresh" The brothers turned around to see their mother, Tawnyfeather, at the entrance to the nursery. Her belly was round with her unborn kits, and Warrenkit and Angelkit, the leader's kits, were bundling round her paws.

"We can keep the nest clean ourselves!" Angelkit announced, her dappled tail sticking straight up.

"Quiet, the ceremony's starting!" Warrenkit stared wide-eyed up at his father, who had risen to his paws.

"Cats of IceClan! The time has come for two new apprentices." Silverstar paused and looked round at his clan. He turned to face the two kits, who were now quivering with excitement. "Lightningkit and Thornykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Thornykit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Thornypaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior. Glaciertail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Longclaw, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and loyal. You will be the mentor of Thornypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Glaciertail stepped forward and touched noses with her new apprentice. She stepped back as Silverstar continued.

"Lightningkit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lightningpaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior." Silverstar paused, and looked over at his medicine cat, Moonshine, who nodded. "Velvetpelt, you are a new warrior, yet I feel you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Silentwhisker, and you have shown yourself to be brave and thoughtful. You shall mentor Lightningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Velvetpelt stepped forward and touched noses with Lightningpaw, whose eyes glowed in excitement.

"Lightningpaw, Thornypaw, Lightningpaw, Thornypaw!"

The cats around called out the new names, welcoming the apprentices to the Clan.

"Lightningpaw! You'll come back and teach us _everything_ you learn, right? You'll tell us all about it, won't you?"

The newly named Lightningpaw purred. "Of course I will, Angelkit. But you'll have to wait until you're an apprentice to learn the good stuff."

Angelkit nodded, and dashed back into the nursery. Lightningpaw looked up at her mentor.

"What are we doing first?" Velvetpelt thought back to his own days of apprenticeship. Silentwhisker had taught him about the warrior code as they explored the three borders of the territory. It sounded a good place to start.

"We'll be going to explore the territory" Lightningpaw seemed satisfied with this, and dashed toward the hollow tree-trunk that was the entrance to the camp. Velvetpelt followed more slowly, giving himself time to think. Why was he a mentor so soon? It was barely half a moon since he was a 'paw himself! And he couldn't stop thinking about the look his leader had exchanged with the clan Medicine Cat. There was something going on about this, and he had no idea what it was.

* * *

><p>Lightningpaw padded to the fresh-kill pile and dropped a giant blackbird on it. Sharpkit and Shiverkit watched her in awe as she pulled out a mouse and lay down to eat it. She hadn't <em>really<em> caught the prey, but it was her who had spotted it and pointed it out to her mentor.

"Lightningpaw!" Lightningpaw looked over her shoulder to see who was calling her. Smallpaw was standing by the apprentices' den, waving beckoning her with his jet black tail. "We made you a nest in the den! Are you excited to finally become a 'paw?"

"Of course I am! What a stupid question, mouse-brain," She teased, cuffing him over the ear with her paw. "Now, let's go, it's getting dark, and I'm tired!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN And that's about all I can be bothered to write as of now :) It's been a while since I updated...**


	4. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 ~ _

"Stretch up, now roll, drop down, reach up - no, up, Hawkpaw!" Auburnwhisker sighed as her apprentice stumbled and fell to the mossy ground.

"I'm trying," He snarled, shaking himself off. Lightningpaw stifled a purr of amusement as he tripped again and skidded across the hollow. Auburnwhisker just watched as the black and white tom scrambled to his feet and carefully worked his way over to his denmates.

"Alright then, I guess Hawkpaw can sit to the side while he learns how to use his paws," Velvetpelt shook his head and glanced over to the apprentices. "Everpaw, Thornypaw and Lightningpaw, come here." Lightningpaw jumped up eagerly and followed her brother to where the mentors were waiting. The Medicine Cat apprentice followed more slowly, his tail low.

"I don't see why I have to do this," Everpaw mumbled, flicking his ear.

"Because even the Medicine Cats need basic training, and while Moonshine is busy looking after the sick cats, you can be here learning to fight. Quit complaining and listen up," Robinfrost, the final mentor in the hollow, gave the stubborn tom a stern look as he sat down.

"Alright," Velvetpelt continued. "Smallpaw and Lightningpaw are an attack patrol on the camp and Everpaw and Thornypaw are going to defend it. The patrol is trying to get to this briar patch here," He flicked his tail toward a straggle of briar between the roots of a tree.

Lightningpaw crouched, her gaze fixed on the target. Smallpaw mirrored her, flicking his tail against her flank. She jumped suddenly, making a vicious bee-line through the defence patrol. They split, Thornypaw blocking her way and Everpaw watching the sides. As the golden apprentice tried to evade her brother, her teammate bolted for the side, taking advantage of the Medicine Cat's lack of confidence to charge the briar and tap it with one white paw.

"Attack team wins!" Robinfrost announced, beckoning the apprentices in with her tail. Lightningpaw bounded over, bursting with energy. Being an apprentice was so much fun! It had only been a moon since her ceremony, yet she felt ready to take on the whole of RockClan.

Smallpaw was teasing Everpaw, bouncing about while the smaller cat tried to swipe at him. Everpaw leapt at his brother, tumbling about the hollow in a blur of black and white fur. Auburnwhisker caught them with her teeth and dragged them apart. Lightningpaw purred in amusement.

Just then, Cherrypaw and Dawnpaw burst down from the trees, while their hunting party watched from the top. They circled the younger apprentices excitedly.

"It's our ceremony at sunhigh!"

"We're gonna be Warriors!"

"I want to be called Cherryfrost."

"More like Cherry-face" Dawnpaw teased.

"Take that back!" The pale ginger apprentice leapt at her sister and they struggled in the moss for a few heartbeats before collapsing in a fit of _mrrows_ of laughter. Stormclaw, the patrol leader, beckoned to the littermates with his tail.

"Come on, before Silverstar changes his mind."

As the giggling apprentices disappeared behind the trees, Velvetpelt turned to the younger 'paws.

"Let's go, they'd never talk to you again if you missed this!"

* * *

><p>"I, Silverstar, Leader of IceClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turns."<p>

Silverstar paused for just a heartbeat, and Cherrypaw and Dawnpaw were practically twitching in excitement

"Cherrypaw, Dawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" They chorused.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Cherrypaw, from this moment you will be known as Cherrymoon. StarClan honours your enthusiasm and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of IceClan."

Silverstar rested his muzzle on Cherrymoon's head, and she licked his shoulder. Then the leader turned to Dawnpaw.

"Dawnpaw, from this moment you will be known as Dawncloud. StarClan honours your Courage and Strength, and we welcome you as a warrior of IceClan"

Dawncloud sprang forward to meet Silverstar as he rested his muzzle on her head. The clan began to call out their names.

"Dawncloud! Cherrymoon! Dawncloud! Cherrymoon!"

Slowly the clan began to settle down and share tongues. Lightningpaw picked a rabbit off the fresh-kill pile and dragged it over to where her friends were sitting. The new warriors eagerly bit into the prey.

"Have you seen Tawnyfeather's new kits yet?" Smallpaw asked.

Lightningpelt shook her head. "I'll go now, and take the queens a bit of prey."

She stood and selected the four juiciest mice, taking them off to the nursery. Almost as soon as she stepped through the entrance, she was assaulted by kits.

"Rawr! I'm the brave Patchstar of LionClan, defending my clan from the evil Lightningpaw!" Patchkit batted the apprentice's muzzle, and Lightningpaw fell dramatically to the ground.

"Mercy, great leader, Mercy!" The grey and ginger kit purred and leapt away.

"Just kidding, Lightningpaw, it's only me, look!"

"Ah, well, you had me fooled." The golden cat grabbed the mice that she dropped in the battle and placed one in front of each of the queens. Silentwhisker beckoned in her kits and allowed them to take a little bite before she ate.

"How was the ceremony?" Tawnyfeather asked. She had looked after Cherrymoon and Dawncloud when their own mother had died whilst kitting.

"Very good. Cherrymoon and Dawncloud are just about ready to burst with pride," Lightningpaw replied. She bent down and touched each of Tawnyfeather's little kits with her nose. "Hello little ones."

"Hollykit, Crowkit, this is Lightningpaw."

The two kits were very beautiful, each with a different pattern of black and white fur – Hollykit was mostly white, while her brother was darker. They each mewled a hello, blinking up curiously at the new cat. Lightningpaw said goodbye to each of the queens and returned to her friends.

"Lightningpaw, wait for us!" Angelkit was leading the older kits out of the nursery like a small army. Along with her two littermates, there were Cloverheart's kits, Patchkit and Speckledkit, and Softwing's kits, Sharpkit and Darkkit. They hurried over to where the apprentices were sharing tongues and flopped down next to them, chattering excitedly.

"I feel like I've been waiting for EVER. Surely it's my turn to be an apprentice?" Warrenkit mewed wistfully.

Dawncloud shook her head. "Not for a few moons yet, I'm afraid. Don't worry, it's definitely worth the wait!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN Random pointless chapter that means nothing! Yay!**

**From now on, I'm going to try to keep the author's notes to a minimum, so if I have something to say, it'll be on my profile, so make sure to check that out.**


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

~Everpaw~

"Take some borage to the queens, and some daisy leaves to the elders. Give all the kits a quick check over, and ask their mothers if anything seems out of the ordinary. Make sure to treat everything as soon as possible – we don't want anything getting too bad. When you're done, make sure we have plenty of catmint, and if you can't find any of that, stock up on chickweed. It's a good alternative when it comes to greencough," Moonshine looked at her apprentice expectantly, and Everpaw nodded to show he understood. Being a Medicine Cat was awfully difficult sometimes. There were probably more herbs to learn than stars on Silverpelt, he thought. He was sure he'd learn it all, some day, and then he'd be the best Medicine Cat that StarClan had ever seen!

But first, he had to treat the elders.

As he walked across to the elders' den, he wished he had his father's thick fur, as leaf-bare was in full force, and he could barely feel his paws. The only good thing about the cold season was the amount of prey that was caught. Unlike the other Clans, IceClan had methods of hunting in the snow and ice – it was in their name, after all.

"Everpaw," Stonewhisker purred. "How lucky that you're here. Woodclaw had done nothing but complain all morning, and I thought I'd have to flee to BrambleClan!"

The apprentice dipped his head in greeting, and began sorting out the herbs. Daisy for aching joints, alder bark for aching teeth. Did everything ache with these elders? When he was satisfied that nobody was suffering, he wrapped up the remaining leaves and headed off to the nursery.

Usually the nursery was a warm, happy place, but today it felt cold and dreary. Two of the four queens were sick with a cough, and even the littlest kit could tell something was wrong. When Everpaw pushed his way through into the thicket, Angelkit lifted her head and murmured a greeting, but otherwise nobody seemed to notice that he was even there. He cleared his throat, and Softwing looked up drowsily.

"Are those for us?"

The Medicine Cat apprentice nodded, giving the queen her share of the borage leaves and setting aside a few for Cloverheart when she woke. Crowkit coughed weakly, and Everpaw looked over at him worriedly.

"How long has he been coughing for?"

"Hmm?" Softwing swallowed her mouthful of leaves and pulled a face at the bitter taste. "He was coughing a little bit this morning. Hollykit too. It didn't seem too bad, so I didn't bother you…"

He pressed his tail against the flanks of the two little kits, frowning at how warm they were. They needed to be treated; in such cold weather, kits of their size could die quickly. Scooping Hollykit up by her scruff, he beckoned for Softwing to do the same. Trying to shield her from the cold as much as he could, Everpaw carried the kit across the camp to the den he shared with his mentor. He placed her down in an empty nest, calling out for Moonshine.

"What is it? I'm very busy, you know."

"It's Hollykit and Crowkit. They've started coughing."

The Medicine Cat disappeared into the back room and returned a moment later with a bundle of herbs Everpaw didn't recognise.

"Coltsfoot," She explained, noticed her apprentice's confusion. "Helps with breathing, and eases coughs. It should be enough for now, until we can tell how bad it is."

Softwing hovered over the mossy nest as Everpaw coaxed the littermates into eating the herbs.

"You should go back to the nursery," He muttered. "Cloverheart will have a hard time looking after all those kits on her own." The queen hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly and slipping through the ferns that covered the entrance. The apprentice tied up a little bit before going outside, making sure that the kits were soundly asleep. He padded out into the clearing, grabbing a little sparrow off the fresh-kill pile before settling down to eat in the shelter of the Ice-tree. He was just licking his lips when he heard Dawncloud calling out. Everpaw stood and walked over to where she and her sister were sitting, near the camp entrance.

"Cherrymoon and I were about to go out hunting, and we thought you might like to come with us, ya know, take your mind off things?" She explained. He nodded gratefully, and then reconsidered.

"I should probably ask Moonshine if that's okay, first." They nodded and he hurried off to find his mentor. She was in the back room with all the herbs, muttering under her breath.

"Can I go hunting with Cherrymoon and Dawncloud?"

"Sure. Don't take too long, and try to be back by Nightfall!"

But Everpaw had already scurried away after his friends. 

By the time the group had returned, they'd caught two rabbits and three relatively plump mice. As soon as he'd dropped his catch on the fresh-kill pile, Everpaw noticed something was wrong. At this time of evening, most warriors would have retired to their dens, trying to catch some rest before the chill of the night set in, but it seemed most of the clan was hanging about the clearing. The apprentice pushed his way through the crowd to see what the fuss was about. In the middle of the clearing, Moonshine and Auburnwhisker were setting down a gray tabby. With a jolt, Everpaw recognised the cat as Feathereye. He felt guilty about leaving the camp; he should have been helping his mentor treat the sick, not messing about with his old denmates. Ashamed, he scuffed his paws along the ground and returned to the Medicine clearing.

When Moonshine returned to their den, it was nearly moonhigh. Everpaw had been busying himself with sorting herbs and cleaning nests, but his eyelids were drooping and his tail was dragging along behind him. His mentor shook her head, shepherding him to his nest and standing over him until he laid down his head and slept.


End file.
